Review: “Afterthot” by Wade in the Sonic Joy

Houston-based nonbinary artist and musician, Wade in the Sonic Joy, released the single, “Afterthot”, from their forthcoming album Sexspells last week.

(HOUSTON) — For anyone familiar with musician and About Magazine writer Wade in the Sonic Joy, it’s easy to say one thing for certain about the nonbinary artist: they are nothing if not outside the box; and Wade’s lead single from their forthcoming album, Sexspells, is equally in line with their aesthetic. The music video dropped last week and certainly emphasizes not only the artist’s musical abilities, but their visually artistic ones, as well.

The song opens with white noise that slowly blends into a deep voice repeating, “That ho over there.” This, of course, is the acronym referenced in the title — a “THOT”. As it continues, Wade begins by singing directly to the person — or, the THOT — that the narrative is spun from. “You play with our emotions / and act like it’s a game,” this is clearly not someone that Narrating Wade is fond of as they sing their song. Likely the song is spun about a former love interest, but knowing Wade, a song like this could be about any person anywhere, from an ex-partner to the sitting president, (“You’re talking with that big head …”). But Wade wastes no time in letting whomever they are singing to or about know that they are nothing more than “… just that ho over there …”.

Lyrically, the song feels fresh because it incorporates what is rather new slang to describe the person about whom the song was written. But more to that point, it’s lyrically very playful — taking something like ‘fire’ or ‘THOT’ from modern slang and spinning into the fun ‘AFTERTHOT’. This alone puts a fun touch on the song by stating that whomever this song is being sung to, they’re aren’t just that ho over there, they’re that ho over there that’s not important enough to be a ‘FORETHOT’ (see what I did there?). Musically, the song has a fun, new wave sound that blends Wade’s smooth, flowing, and unique vocals with the electronic synthesis popular in the late 70s and early 80s. It’s that cocktail of past sound with present language that gives Wade their uniqueness, but also their bold, fearless, exciting aberrance. The video, as well is quite a spectacle — with new wave tones written all over it from beginning to end. As is never in question, Wade is a visual artist just as much as they are a musical artist. From beginning to end the popstar dances in and out of frame, with split-screen side-by-sides of themselves weaving in and out of one another. Cuts of explosive fire in vivid neon color and Wade running their tongue over a long, pink object that is a bit hard to identify again only add character to not just the song itself, but to Wade in the Sonic Joy as an artist.

Wade in the Sonic Joy is a singer-songwriter, producer, visual artist, model, and journalist who currently resides in Houston, Texas. However, Wade’s official website states that they are officially from Fortuna Tessera, Venus. It goes on to say that “Wade would like to push the boundaries of gender, love, and expression through art, visuals, and sound. The purpose of this project is to turn joyous dreams into sonic reality.” The song is certain to caught in your head at the most inappropriate times — I, for one, cannot stop singing “that ho over there” on a loop in my head whenever I see one of the men I’ve slept with across the room. It’s fun and intriguing, but it’s also a fuck you to anyone that ever thought they could maintain a foundation of importance in your life after screwing you over.

Wade in the Sonic Joy keeps surprising fans and audiences with everything that they’re doing, and it doesn’t seem like that is going to change anytime soon. The complete album, entitled Sexspells, will be released December 20th.